


Sent Letters, Unsent Letters

by Asaliz



Category: Layton Kyouju Series | Professor Layton Series
Genre: Azran Legacy Spoilers, Curious Village Spoilers, Diabolical Box Spoilers, Gen, Last Specter Spoilers, Lost Future Spoilers
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2018-12-06
Updated: 2019-02-01
Packaged: 2019-09-13 05:35:22
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 6
Words: 4,419
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/16886604
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Asaliz/pseuds/Asaliz
Summary: Flora decides to start writing letters to Saint Mystere to keep in touch with her old friends. She starts writing the drafts of this letters on a notebook, but the final letter usually leaves out a lot of information, she doesn’t want to admit or complain with them: thing are not as she imagined, and the notebook becomes a sort of disorganized personal journal.





	1. Chapter 1

**Author's Note:**

> Once again I found some old unfinished drafts I decided put together to make something more complete.  
> This will be probably the only chapter with Layton’s POV, the others will be Flora’s.

The professor was lost in his thoughts while he drove back to London from the small village.  He asked the young lady if she wanted come with him, and she had chosen to do so. It was his duty as a gentleman to help a lady in need…

But he really didn’t knew how to manage the situation. He realized a little late, perhaps.

He didn’t imagine this adventure would end with him being responsible of a young lady…

He didn’t even know what role he was suppose to take…

A tutor? A guardian? A father figure? Perhaps not, he shouldn’t try to replace the Baron.

 He had never thought about having children after… He touched his hat’s brim unconsciously.

Flora slept all the way to London. When they arrived, he hurriedly had to prepare an extra bed for his new guest…

While he did this, Luke distracted Flora with a puzzle.

Then it was time for a cup of tea. The perfect time to have a pleasant conversation.

“Professor?” She asked timidly.

“Yes, Flora?”

“Do you think they loved me? I mean… they were robots. I know I do love them, but… Did they…?”

“Of course they did!” Luke said enthusiastically “It doesn’t matter if they are robots! They can feel just like us!”

“Now, Luke, my boy, a gentleman should never interrupt a lady.”

“I’m sorry professor…”

He smiled warmly at him. He knew he had been thinking about their lost friend while they climbed the tower and he asked about the nature of the Village’s inhabitants. Her death was still very recent.

Luke’s enthusiastic answer made her smile; the golden apple mark appeared briefly on her skin, before she added softly:

“Then why…Why didn’t my father wanted me to stay with them?”

The professor didn’t have the heart to tell her Bruno was old, and there will be a point when he won’t be able to repair them. And the Baron’s personal journal made clear he considered the inhabitants just things.

_They will… die, eventually. But I believe this is not the time to discuss about it._

“I’m afraid I have no clue.” He decided to say.

“Can I visit Saint Mystere sometimes?”

“Of course. We can arrange that.”

He meditated for a moment, and said:

“Flora, Luke. I have to remind you once more: the nature of Saint Mystere’s inhabitants must be kept as a secret, not only for your convenience, Flora, but also for their own safety. Some people might want to find how to built sentient beings with premade memories.”

“Of course Professor!”

They didn’t want the story of the golems to be repeated.

\---

 

Flora was really excited at the beginning.  She was on a new home on a big city, very different from her own. She wasn’t familiar with these streets, and she was used to see only familiar faces when she when for a walk. Now she only crossed strangers.

With time her ideal picture of the professor started to fade. She still admired him; the way he saved her from the tower was still on her memories. She wanted to accompany him and Luke on their adventures. But…

He never wanted her to join them… yet he didn’t really tell her she was not allowed to go. There were always evasive answers.

And he never screamed… It was weird to see him angry at all.

Luke has told her a couple of times how he sometimes argued with his dad. She never told him, but she sort of envied that. If she raised her tone when confronting the professor, she will look like the hysterical one; the professor never raised his voice.

_Why can’t I go with them? I can do as much as Luke does!_

_It’s not fair._

Danger didn’t seem like a good reason. After all, Luke was with him.

_If it’s dangerous, then it’s unfair for Luke!_

And if he really didn’t want her to follow them, why didn’t he ground her?

_Why doesn’t he just say it clear instead of avoiding me? Without an explanation. What kind of person ditches someone without giving them a reason?_

A sudden burst of guilt made her heart shrink.

_You are that kind of person._

_You avoided Lady Dahlia. She loved you, didn’t she?_

_But she scared me…_

_But you never told her that. You avoided her without giving her a reason._

_I have to apologize to her._

How? She still didn’t want to go back so soon…

_I will send her a letter._

_That would be a good start._


	2. First Letter

Flora took a notebook and a pencil. She would write a draft before writing the letter.

_What should I tell her?_

_I should tell her how I am doing._

**Dear Lady Dahlia**

**Life here in London is very different. There is so much more people on the streets.**

**The Professor is always solving cases, with Luke as his assistant. However I am not welcomed in those adventures. But they know each other since a long time. Sometimes felt like an intruder.**

She made a cross next to that paragraph. _I’m not supposed to worry her._

She couldn’t say he didn’t care at all.

_Mmm._

**I often accompany the professor to the university. I stay in his office while he gives classes.** **Sometimes I have Luke’s company while we wait for him. I really enjoy his company.** **I don’t really know anyone else**. - The professor hasn’t introduced her to many people.- **The Professor always wants my (and Luke’s) company when he is giving extra classes to a student of him, Rosseta. It seems she likes the professor.**

It is a pattern? He never tells people how he feels about them?

_“A gentleman should never lie.”_

She couldn’t avoid wondering how much he really cared. He was always saying what a gentleman should and shouldn’t do.

_A gentleman should keep his promises._

_A gentleman this. A gentleman that._

**I am still trying to practice my cooking skills. But it goes slow.**

Yes. What about her cooking? She had taste buds. She knew that cake had too much sugar, and that other one was burn. She knew a fish on the top won’t make it tastier.

_But why didn’t they tell me anything?_

They didn’t complain. She liked experimenting, but one person alone is not enough to say if a combination would be good or bad. And many times they didn’t even try her food before rejecting it. She was not stupid, and she could see in their expressions… She just wished they could just tell her. A suggestion, at least. She had no one to teach her.

**I will try to find someone to teach me. But I doubt the professor can introduce me someone.**

**But I spend too much time alone. The professor is very busy, not only with work and cases but also with personal projects and hobbies. He usually falls asleep working.**

**I had the chance to travel on a train, the Molentary Express. I followed The professor and Luke there. I thought he would be angry when he found out… But he didn’t. But I wasn’t able to do much, Don Paolo took my place, and it took them ages to notice it wasn’t me! But to be fair, he is good impersonating people.**

_This is not a useful letter. Wasn’t I supposed to apologize?_

_Complaining about my situation wont made her any happier._

_She won’t be happy if she thinks her actions send me to a place where I am unhappy._

_And is still soon. Maybe I just need time to adjust to this new life._

The letter she put on the envelope was very short:

**Dear Lady Dahlia**

**I apologize for not writing sooner. I hope everybody is doing great.**

**I wanted to thank you for all your hard work for me. You are the one who organized everything to solve the mystery. Thanks to you I have the chance to live in a big city like London. Is very different to Saint Mystere.**

**The professor is a busy man. Not only he solves mysteries, as you know, but also he gives classes. His students respect him.**

**Luke is becoming a great friend to me. I enjoy his company. Sometimes he tells me about his previous adventures with the professor. I would write them for you to read, but I should ask for his permission first.**

**The professor has many books, and also does Luke. I have borrowed and read various books, detective novels are my favorites.**

**I don’t have too much to tell you now; I still need some time to get used to my new life.**

**I will write again to you soon.**

**Love, Flora.**

 

One short letter wouldn’t change things so fast. But it was a start.

How funny being away is what made them get closer.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Chapters will be short.


	3. Family

Not so much time later, Flora received a letter from Saint Mystere. The envelope was thick. She received a letter not only from Lady Dahlia, but also from several of her friends. Not everyone was able to write, or the envelope would have been too heavy, someone wrote her. They event sent her a couple of puzzles. She would show them to Luke later.

It made her really happy. And it was good to start making amends with Lady Dalia. It seems she was really happy when she received the letter. Things at home were calm as always, it seems.

Receiving the letter made her happy, but at the same time reminded her she missed them.

Now she kept the notebook with her to write things, so she wouldn’t forget them.

**As I wrote you before, Luke sometimes told me about his adventures. I wish I had met Emmy. Luke spoke very highly of her. He told me she could break almost anything with her kick. I wonder if he was exaggerating. But he seemed very convinced. And Luke doesn’t like to lie. He respect this “gentleman’s rules” more than the professor.**

_Mmmm…_ She made a cross next to the last two sentences.

 **He mentioned someone called Aurora** , - but only once. She asked him if Bruno couldn’t do anything about it, but he described her how her body disappeared, as if “a soft breeze had blown a dandelion made of light”, then they spent the rest of evening waiting in silence. Perhaps it was not a good topic to write about.

_How many of them are aware they are robots? Should I tell them someday? Or not? Should I ask Bruno for advice?_

**The professor and I got invited for dinner by Luke’s parents. He and his mom look very alike, just like me** -She wasn’t sure if she should talk about her mum with lady Dalia – **There were more guests, Luke introduced me to his friends Arianna and Tony. They live in Mysthallery, where Luke used to live, but they were visiting London and staying at his home for a couple of days**. **They are orphans, like me.** –She made a cross next to this paragraph too.-

 **Luke’s mum was kind enough to give me some tips and some old recipes. That really helped me a lot –tough I usually rush and the recipe turns out a little weird if I mess up the quantities of different ingredients.** _At least now I know too much baking powder is not a good idea._ **Sometimes I prepare something for myself. It’s not perfect, but it tastes fine. It just doesn’t look pretty. Though I’m not that careful when I cook for the professor or Luke** – She stroked that sentence – _And I will keep doing it until they tell me something._

 **I read a lot of books; I have too much time for me when the professor is working.** – She changed “too much” and wrote “some” instead. –

_Are omissions like lies?_

_But I don’t want to worry them._

_Or I don’t want them to know how I feel?_

_The professor doesn’t want people to know how he feels?_

When she had a couple of pages written, she decided to wrote the letter.

**Dear Lady Dahlia**

**I was so glad to receive your letter, and it’s good to know everybody is fine.**

**Recently the professor and I visited Luke’s house for dinner. His mum is really good at cooking. She is really kind, and she gave me some tips and even let me borrow a book to copy some recipes, so I have been busy copying the ones I like, and organizing them in categories. And the tips helped me a lot.**

**I also met two friends of Luke, Ariana and Tony. They lived on Misthallery, the place where Luke used to live. It seems they parents didn’t tell him they were coming, so it was a surprise. They asked about Emmy; Luke has mentioned her when he told me about his adventures, he really appreciated her. It seems she was like their bodyguard (It’s not the word he used, but is what I imagined when I heard about her.)**

**I’m sending you a photo where you can see us. It was Doland, the butler, who took it, so he is not in this picture.**

**Since I wrote the last letter I have found more books to read. I have found more detective novels, and I like to try to solve the mystery when I read, though I find it a little disappointing when I can do it too easily. But it’s also disappointing when the author purposely omits a lot of clues until the very end, and you don’t have the chance to try and solve it on your own. I have never asked you, what kind of books do you like?**

**The professor is a very disorganized person, something I found a little surprising. Luke and I are the ones who try to keep his office tidy. Though he seems to find things anyway, and doesn’t acknowledge his disorder. Luke usually teases him about this.**

**One of the puzzles was really difficult to solve. It took us (Luke and I) a couple of days to find the answer.**

**I will write to you soon.**

**Love, Flora.**

She didn’t know exactly why, but felt happy when she finished the letter.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> This chapter was inspired by the image you can see in “Specter’s call”, where we can see Luke talking with Tony and Ariana, while showing them a picture, Clark and Layton drinking tea, and in the background, Brenda talking with Flora.


	4. Promises

Flora was really angry. And sad too.

**Once again they left on an adventure without me. I went to wait for them at his office. After all this time the dean doesn’t know me.** _“A young lady is waiting for you.” Did he never tell him about me? They seem close._

She wrote things hurriedly, more concerned on how angry she was than the letter she could write later.

**Once again they told me were not going to leave me again. They promised. But it took them no time to break their promise.** They escaped while I made some tea!

_“A gentleman should keep his promises.”_

**I followed them anyway.** _But they didn’t pay too much attention to me._ Though “time travelling” was not a nice experience. I almost fainted. **They wanted me to stay in the hotel.** **A lot of things happened. There was an older version of Luke!** She had to admit the excitement for the adventure made her forget she was angry with them.

**We walked a lot through this future version of London. I was having fun, to be honest.** _But I now realize things really got dangerous._

**Too much things happened, they say the professor became a bad person in the future...We went to confront him… and then Don Paolo disguised as the professor and then helped us. It was funny, an a little scary.** It sounded even crazier when she wrote it.

**The future city was a fake, so it was the older professor, and the older Luke. His real name was Clive.**

**Clive took me prisoner and then they saved me** –Now that will be the perfect excuse for leaving me at home - **. Then he attacked London… and the professor stopped him.**

**I did not follow the professor when he went to say goodbye to his old love. While Luke did. If he wanted to stick with the professor like a thistle I am not going to complain.**

She was still angry, and not in the mood to write the letter. She waited a couple of days. She was sad because Luke was leaving. The professor already knew, because Luke’s dad had told him before. But she found out after Luke run away to see the statue in future London. She was angry at both of them for not telling her before.

She finally decided to write the letter, when she was calmer.

**Dear Lady Dahlia**

**I don’t know if you have read on the newspaper what happened here in London. Luke, his family, the professor and I are fine. But a lot of people were hurt, despite the evacuation.**

**The professor was involved in solving this mystery and stopping the machine that caused the destruction. He received a letter, supposedly from the future. Following the clues on the letter, they found a place that looked like a future version of London. I followed them, despite the professor wanting me to stay home. Inspector Chelmey (now I have met the real one) followed them too. And Don Paolo helped too; it seems he is not so bad.**

**Things got dangerous. Luke was worried about his family, Inspector Chelmey about his wife, while he evacuated people. But the professor lost someone he loved, when they have just reunited.**

**Luke will be moving with his family very soon. They are moving overseas, so it won’t be possible to visit him easily. I am going to miss him.**

**I don’t really have so much to tell you this time.**

**Love, Flora.**

The letter didn’t say much, but she didn’t think the details were relevant. There was no need to tell them about Clive, Dimitri or the kidnapped people. She wondered what would happen with the future London.

She just had to let them know they were alright, they had probably read the newspapers by now, and would be worried about her. Perhaps she should have written sooner this time.  She felt a little silly for just noticing now.

She would write again soon after Luke moved.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I wasn’t so sure how to approach this chapter. While I remember the first time I played the game I though Layton was being a jerk when he left Flora in his office after promising he won’t leave, Flora acted to careless in future London, not very conscious there was real danger.  
> And the later games fix things a little: At first they were two adults (Emmy and Layton) with one child, and he got two years to know him. While Layton is childish in a lot of ways, he is right in not taking with him a girl he barely knows and can’t predict her behavior in a dangerous situation. Though I still think he is just an idiot when he avoids the responsibility of telling her. But this is one of the most interesting things about his character: he is a good person and like to help others, but he also refuses to acknowledge his flaws or the inconsistencies between his saying and his actions.


	5. Goodbye

There was a melancholic atmosphere in the house. Or at least it was her impression while she wrote on her notebook. They just arrived home and it seemed a little emptier.

**Today Luke has left. We went to say goodbye to him. I am really going to miss him –** a lot **– I stayed with Luke’s parents while they say goodbye to each other.** _It’s fair; they have met for a long time._

There was no much to write about it. She knew things would be different. The next days were really calm.

The recent events made her want to visit Saint Mystere soon. But she also felt it would be unfair to leave the professor alone, especially when Luke has just left. So she would wait a little longer.

She was really surprised to find out the professor was sometimes without his hat. She has never seen him without it before, and now, suddenly, he had no trouble with that. Thought she didn’t ask about it, it seemed as it was something good. _But why?_ She wasn’t sure.

**Luke was really effective in keeping his office more tidy** –Now she noticed there were more and more books and papers on the floor (and other things she was sure shouldn’t be treated so carelessly) – **Now I find myself asking him to be more organized –** _But he is convinced he can find things anyway._ If that were the case, there wouldn’t be so many forgotten puzzles in his office -

**But recently someone started to work here to keep the office and the house tidy. Her name is Rose, and it seems she used to work for the professor before. She is really nice. And she always tells people what she thinks** – _Even to the dean!_ – **I have asked if I can help her when she cooks, and she said I can. It has been really helpful to me.**

The answer from her previous letter arrived fast. Everybody was relieved to know she was alright, because they have, in fact, read the newspapers. She had learned a little more about lady Dahlia.

She wished they could visit her too, but she understood why they couldn’t. Could she ask Bruno his opinion?

She finally wrote the letter:

**Dear Lady Dahlia**

**The professor and I said goodbye to Luke before is trip. I had met him for only a year, but I’m going to miss him.  He is my friend. We promised to write letters to each other, the professor and I will probably send it on the same envelope. He had a longer story with the professor; his parents and me left them some time alone to say goodbye. I haven’t been a lot with his parents, but they have always been kind to me when I visited Luke’s house.**

**Things have been really calm. It’s surprising how good Luke was at keeping the office tidy. A woman called Rose started to work here; it seems she used to work for the professor before, but left for some time. I really like her, she is kind and she doesn’t mind telling anything to people. And thanks to her my cooking skills are improving.**

**Love, Flora**

She meditated for a while, looking the short letter, before she added:

**P.S. I was planning to visit you soon. I have to ask the professor.**

_I will ask him later._

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I know in the game it seems as if only Layton went to say goodbye to Luke, but I think Flora must have been there too.  
> I also imagine Rose came back shortly after Luke left. She probably left while Layton was with Emmy.
> 
> There is only one chapter left... I just noticed my previous multi-chaptered stories also have six chapters, it seems to be my limit at the moment.


	6. Visit

She finally sent the letter.

A little more than four months passed since Luke moved.

She waited a couple of days, and decided to talk with the professor while they drank some tea. It reminded her of the day she just arrived, and how much happened in so little time. How much has changed:  Luke was not there, the professor wasn’t wearing his hat, and she has started to talk with someone she used to fear.

Also, they were eating some cookies with the tea, and she had baked them! They were good. It was one of the recipes she copied from the book she borrowed from Luke’s mum, but she used lemon and ginger instead of orange. She was really proud of how they turned out.

“Professor?”

“Yes, Flora?”

“I…I wanted to visit Saint Mystere soon, if there is no problem.”

He looked at her a little surprised, but then smiled.

“Of course. It has been a while since you have seen your friends.” He took a sip of tea and added softly: “Is there something more? You look worried.”

She didn’t answer immediately. She had been thinking a lot lately. What it meant to be unable to say goodbye to someone, after seeing the professor with Claire. And about the things Luke had told her about his adventures. She was a little scared of going back and having to face some things.

“I… I also want to talk with Bruno.”

“I see.” There was silence. He probably understood. Perhaps he knew since before but didn’t want to tell her. He added: “Do you want to stay there for a while?”

“Maybe… I don’t know. It’s-- I--  It doesn’t mean I want to leave you all alone!”

“I know. You don’t have to worry about me.”

“I’m sorry if I have been a burden.” She barely thought before she said it. Maybe it bothered her when he answered so fast. But she regretted it when she saw his expression turned a little sad.

“No, I’m sorry if I made you feel that way.”

She was still a little resentful for the times he has left her behind, but that didn’t mean she hated him or wanted to make him feel bad about it. _Right?_

Now she didn’t knew what to say, and seemingly, neither did him, because the silence was getting awkward.

_I don’t want to hurt someone again for being unable to understand…As I did with Lady Dahlia._

“I’m grateful that I met you. Even—Even if we don’t always understand each other. You allowed me to stay here when you barely knew me.” She was finally able to say.

“A gentleman should always help a lady in need.”

She wasn’t ready to confront him about everything yet; she changed the topic and suggested to organize the trip.

The professor was going to drive her there, and perhaps keep her company for a couple of days.

ººº

Flora was looking through the window while the professor drove to Saint Mystere. When they went to London, she slept all the way. Now she admired the landscape while they got closer and closer. Soon she could recognize the silhouette of the buildings. However, it seemed a little different without the tower.

Franco greeted them; he was still in charge of the drawbridge.

Aside from the tower, everything was just as she remembered: the houses, the streets, and the familiar faces. They walked slowly to the manor.

When they arrived, they were received by Mathew, who greeted them and told them to come inside.

Lady Dahlia was there, standing. She always looked so elegant and proud, but she offered a warm smile. She greeted them, and the professor answered politely, as always. Flora answered a little more shyly, at first.

“I’m glad to see you.”

“I’m glad to see you too. You must be tired from your trip. If you wish, you can stay here, or you can go to the inn, if you prefer.”

Flora looked briefly at the professor; he smiled her, indicating her she could choose.

“We will stay here.”

She thought for a moment if it would be okay to hug her, but perhaps it was a little soon.

“I will ask Mathew to prepare rooms for you.”

They chatted for a little while Mathew prepared the rooms. Flora pet Claudia, who was sleeping peacefully on the couch. He purred.

Later Mathew would tell her the rooms were already prepared. It seems Lady Dahlia, was, just like her, a little insecure now they were face to face. But they would have time to talk and really know each other.

She wasn’t sure how much time she would stay. She wanted to see everyone again.

She wanted to speak with Bruno and ask for his advice.

But for now she would enjoy her time with her friends and family.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Thanks for reading! Also thanks to everyone who left comments or kudos.
> 
> I didn’t expect so much people to be interested in a fanfic about Flora. Though I have found a few that seem interesting, they are still on my list of stories-to-read.

**Author's Note:**

> As always any grammar or spelling corrections are more than welcome.


End file.
